News 11:00

BULLETIN 8 January 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Jacob Zuma demands the reinstatement of his ANC membership
# ActionSA is concerned about Gauteng’s current financial situation
# And Donald Trump announces his plans for Panama and Greenland

# Former president Jacob Zuma’s lawyers have sent a letter of demand to the ANC, requesting the reinstatement of his membership by the 31st of January. In November last year, the party’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal upheld the decision of the National Disciplinary Committee to expel Zuma. He was expelled for bringing the party into disrepute and establishing and leading a rival political party. Jacob Zuma Foundation’s spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, says they have procedural and substantive concerns regarding the ANC’s processes:

# Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has warned that more pandemics are likely in the future, as climate change and the encroachment of habitats of other species by humans continues. The country is monitoring the human metapneumovirus outbreak in China, a respiratory illness that presents symptoms similar to Covid-19. Motsoaledi says discussions on what will be done in case of an outbreak in South Africa are ongoing, with the help of the country’s former director-general of Health Precious Matsoso. She currently co-chairs the World Health Assembly’s intergovernmental negotiating body sitting in Switzerland.

# ActionSA in Gauteng says it is deeply concerned about the current financial situation in the province. Finance and Economic Development MEC Lebogang Maile has rejected claims that the province is in a financial crisis. In November overall expenditure was 68-percent of the adjusted budget of 169.213-billion-rand, leaving 53.9-billion-rand available to be spent until the end of March this year. ActionSA’s, Zwelithini Mtshali, says Gauteng’s financial position could deteriorate rapidly if the provincial government is not careful:

# US president-elect Donald Trump says he cannot rule out using military or economic force to retake control of the Panama Canal and seize Greenland. He addressed the media at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida yesterday, further outlining his expansionist agenda, two weeks before he is sworn into office. Denmark and Panama have rejected any suggestion that they would give up territory. Trump says US control of Greenland and the Panama Canal is vital to America’s national security:

# Rugby: Sharks loosehead prop Ox Nché says they are well aware of the physicality French side Toulouse will pose in their Champions Cup group match in Durban on Saturday. Six-time champions Toulouse have made an impressive start to their title defence, winning against Ulster and Exeter. Meanwhile, the Sharks defeated Exeter 39-21 but were thumped 56-17 by Leicester Tigers. Nché says they are expecting a tough encounter, with the scrum set to take centre stage, as a new law amendment that gives scrum halves more protection will be enforced.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-71-cents and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-531-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-336-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-15-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….